Jan Hefler

The mother of a sick tot who has a NJ medical marijuana card says she will be surprised if Gov. Christie signs a bill that would make cannabis more accessible to her child. "I have no idea what he will do. But he tends to veto controversial bills on Fridays and now he's saying he will decide by Friday," said Meghan Wilson in a phone interview on Thursday.

Her two-year-old, Vivian, suffers from a potentially fatal form of epilepsy and was issued a card in February to obtain marijuana. But Wilson says restrictions in the medical marijuana law and in the regulations have made it impossible for her to purchase the medication for her daughter. The child's neurologist supports Vivian's use of cannabis to control dangerous seizures.

Meghan and her husband, Brian, of Scotch Plains, have been lobbying for a bill that would ease some of the restrictions.

It's been sitting on Gov. Christie's desk for nearly two months. On Wednesday he said that this will not be a "simple" decision for him. Confronted by Brian Wilson at a campaign stop in Scotch Plains, the governor called the issue complicated. Christie has expressed concerns about giving marijuana to children and frequently refers to marijuana users as "potheads." He said he wants to do what's best for "the people of the state."

The most important provision of the bill, Meghan says, is the one that would allow dispensaries to sell more than three strains. Vivian and other children with her rare condition need a strain high in CBD, which alleviates seizures, and low in THC, the ingredient that causes euphoria. But there are few patients who need this strain and she worries that dispensaries would not want to use up one of their strains on producing it.

Last week, Bill Thomas, the CEO of a dispensary that is expected to open in South Jersey this fall, said that he would grow this special strain and that Vivian would be his first patient. But Meghan said that the three strains he is currently growing do not have the high CBD ratio that Vivian requires.

She said that she called the health department to complain that officials there were putting out "misleading information" when they said this new dispensary would meet Vivian's needs this fall. It takes three months to grow cannabis.

The bill would also allow cannabis to be sold in edible form.

Meanwhile, the Wilsons are on vacation at the shore, waiting for Christie's verdict. "Some vacation, huh?" she said.